Interior space in today's motor vehicles is often limited due to new features and hardware added to the motor vehicles. One structure that consumes a significant volume of space inside a motor vehicle is a lower door trim panel under the arm rest. Such a panel typically incorporates bins and cup holders increasing the distance the panel extends inward from the door body and thereby making it difficult to enter and exit the vehicle in crowded parking lots where a nearby obstruction limits the angle to which the door may be opened. Under such circumstances, the gap between the bottom of the door and the rocker panel of the automobile is small.
This document relates to a new and improved vehicle door assembly incorporating a removable door panel that increases the space between the rocker panel and the bottom of the door body to allow easier ingress and egress even when an obstruction limits the angle to which the door may be opened. In addition, this document relates to a vehicle door assembly incorporating a modification kit that includes multiple removable interior door panels having different article storage bin structures. Those multiple removable door panels are interchangeable so as to allow a motor vehicle operator to tailor or customize the storage options on the vehicle door assembly to meet the needs of the user for any particular application desired.
Accordingly, it should be appreciate that the vehicle door assembly disclosed herein represents a significant advance in the art.